so with this tribute to jean and sandy, i commend these two great federal employees. i will, again, be down on a regular basis to celebrate federal employees throughout this congress, because too often many disparaged government in today's day and life sometimes disparage government service. but for jean vertifay, we might not have as safe a nation as we do today. with that, i yield the floor. mr. durbin: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from illinois. mr. durbin: mr. president, let me say to my colleague from virginia i will accept his kind works with at least an indirect apology for the defamation which he included in his speech suggesting that i'm somehow an ancient mariner in the senate. i wear my trousers rolled but not quite as rolled as you suggested. i thank you too for your leadership on this deficit and debt issue. it's not over. we still have a lot to do, and we have to do it thoughtfully. i'm glad you highlighted these two federal employees. i read the obituary of the one you highlighted. it was an extraordinary story of a woman who persev